The invention concerns a transfer device for transferring a folding box from a magazine that accommodates flat folding boxes, to a transport device, thereby simultaneously erecting it, comprising a holding device which takes over the folding box, holds it during transfer, and can be moved along a cycloid path having several turning points and intermediate curved sections.
A transfer device of this type is used e.g. in a cartoning machine, in which a folding box, which is accommodated in a flat, folded state in a magazine, must first be erected prior to delivery of the product to be packed, and be provided in a transport device which is usually designed as a belt conveyor or chain conveyor.
Towards this end, as disclosed e.g. in DE 198 01 194 A1, each folding box is removed from the magazine using a holding device which is designed, in particular, in the form of a suction device and disposed on a revolving planetary part of a removing device, which runs on a sun wheel and is supplied therewith along a cycloid path to the transport device and disposed in a cell formed between two fingers which are disposed at that location. During the motion along the cycloid path, an erecting element, which is disposed on the planetary part, is brought into abutment with the folding box, thereby erecting the folding box.
It has turned out that a simple planetary gear that is used in the transfer device cannot ensure long-term reliable transfer of the folding box to the transport device. For this reason, one tried to optimize the course of the cycloid path e.g. by moving the sun wheel forwards or backwards in a cyclic fashion, or by providing a second sun wheel with a further planetary part, wherein the two sun wheels can be adjusted relative to each other, thereby permitting adjustment of the motions as desired. In accordance with DE 198 01 194 A1, one rotary correction motion both for the rotary motion of the holding device and also for the rotary motion of the erecting element is picked up on independent control cams and overlaid with the respective rotary motion resulting from the rotation of the planetary part. In all cases, the constructive expense in order to obtain the cycloid path is very high, thereby rendering the transfer devices not only expensive but, in particular, also susceptible to malfunction.
It is the underlying purpose of the invention to provide a transfer device of the above-mentioned type, which has a simple construction and ensures reliable transfer of the folding box to the transport device.